Security: The Hardware Advantage

A fairly high percentage of computer users are now educated enough to know they must have security products deployed in order to protect their computers.
In the case of Corporate Users, the IT staff makes sure their gateway is stacked with the latest and greatest security appliances protecting the parameter.
In the case of Home Users, the users themselves make sure to install security software, typically a combination of personal firewall, antivirus and anti-spam. Or a single streamlined Internet Security Suite.

In both cases, the solution is simply not good enough!

We’ll start with explaining why security software running on top of the computer it aims to protect will always be inferior to an external hardware solution.
The following points are well known to the IT professionals as they would obviously never rely on software installed on users’ computers alone, and will always focus on the hardware-based security appliances protecting the organization’s perimeter.

The advantages of external hardware-based security appliances are:

Immunity from the inherent vulnerabilities of the underlying OS – If, for instance, an organization is running MS Windows on all its computers, the security software installed o the computer will still suffer from the same underlying vulnerabilities and backdoors that Windows inherently has. When you are protected by an external appliance who has its own proprietary OS (Or a flavor thereof), the security mechanism does not suffer from these vulnerabilities.
Mobile code is not run - content arriving from the internet is not executed on these appliances it just goes or does not go through into the network. It makes it more difficult to attack as the mobile code delivered by the hackers does not run on the appliances.
Cannot be uninstalled – Security attacks often start by targeting the security software, while trying to uninstall it or stop its activity. Software-based security solutions, as any software program includes an uninstall option that can be targeted. In contrast, the hardware-based security appliances cannot be uninstalled as they are hard coded into the hardware.
Non-writable Memory - Hardware-based solutions manage the memory in a restricted and controlled manner. The security appliances can prohibit access to its memory, providing greater protection against attacks on the security mechanism.
Controlled by IT personnel – The security appliances are controlled by IT, who constantly maintains the highest security policies and updates.
Performance - The security appliances are optimized for maximum security and operate independently from computers in the network, not degrading the performance of the desktops or consuming their resources.
Prevent potential software conflicts – The security application you install on your computer will reside on the same computer with an unknown amount of other unknown software all using the same CPU, memory, OS and other resources. This often results in various conflicts, “friendly fire” between 2 or more unrelated security application installed on the same computer etc. When using a dedicated hardware security appliance, nothing runs except for the intended use it was made for.
These are all just the general conceptual problems of protecting a computer with the exclusive reliance on an installed software security application.
There’s a lot more to be said about the problems with these types of solutions. The lack of Network Address Translation (As you’d get in a dedicated external hardware-based security appliance), lack of physical network separation (DMZ), the fact that even simple ARP poisoning attack cannot be stopped by them and much, much more.

Now that we’ve clearly established that using software-based security applications is not the best security solution – what’s wrong with the security that Corporate Users get? The IT staff makes sure their gateway is stacked with the latest and greatest security appliances protecting the parameter.
We’ve shown that that would be the best way to go – So where is the problem?

The answer to that is simple – Mobility.
More and more of the corporate users actually have laptops and no desktop computers. More and more users are becoming mobile, working remotely from outside the organization, working either from home, or are simply on the road traveling as part of their business duties.

The minute the user packs up his laptop and leaves the protected (by a series of dedicated hardware security appliances) organizational perimeter – all the amount of money and professional effort that went into building up the corporate gateway, all of that becomes meaningless!
The user has left the corporate protection behind, and is left essentially “naked” only with the software security solution to his protection. And we’ve already established above it is not enough.


So what is the perfect solution?

The perfect solution that solves all the issues presented above is simply to use a Personal Security Appliance – A term coined by Yoggie Security Systems.
Yoggie has coined the term and essentially created a whole new category of security products. The first of its kind in the world is the Yoggie Gatekeeper which is a powerful and robust hardware-based security appliance that connects to the laptop and externally scans and protects all the traffic with a series of 13 different security applications.
The Yoggie Gatekeeper is tiny and mobile, fits comfortably in your palm and can simply be attached to a USB port on your laptop, which provides both the power and connectivity.

This way the powerful corporate-level security can be re-instated even as the user is away from the protected corporate perimeter, allowing the laptop user maximum performance and productivity (by offloading it and using external security applications, instead of laptop-installed ones), giving them the highest level of security, and allowing the IT department means to monitor and enforce security policies over remote and traveling laptops without being intrusive to their users!

Does Your New Product Qualify For A Patent

If you've created something unique and something you believe to be marketable the subject of patents should be of immense interest to you. Without a patent your idea could be stolen from you. With a patent in place the concept, and its financial rewards, are yours for a minimum of 17 and a maximum of 20 years.

Does your new product qualify for a patent, however? To determine this you'll need to not only prove its uniqueness but to also make sure it's not disqualified for category.

In the United States, for example, the issuing federal agency is the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. This agency offers utility patents, the most common form of patent, on brand new designs that can prove usefulness. They can even patent new varieties of foliage such as plants.

What cannot be patented, however, are new pharmaceuticals that are determined to be unsafe, nuclear weapons, phenomena theoretical in nature, inventions that aren't operable, non-operational changes such as aesthetic improvements, inventions whose primary purpose would be seen as illegal, and those considered by the patent office as "whimsical," i.e., serving no serious purpose. As of this writing the patent office also refuses "immoral" patents, but a change is in the offing that will eliminate this category from patent refusal.

One of the criteria used by the US PTO to determine uniqueness and thus eligibility for a patent is whether someone who is considered an expert in the field in which you're introducing a new product would consider the product not only useful but also unique. You will, therefore, delay your application for a patent until you've determined that the answer to this is yes. You'll want to provide the PTO with the name or names of experts who have attested to the usefulness and unique nature of your creation.

This is where you must be careful. Sharing your idea prior to its patent could result in its theft if you don't take precautions. Besides carefully studying the credibility and ethics of those from whom you seek a professional opinion of your new idea or product, you'll also want to carefully document your step-by-step creation - from original concept to completion.

Purchase a notebook. It doesn't need to be anything fancy - just a diary sort of concept that notes each and every move made and every idea generated that helped to bring your concept and product to fruition. While in this day and age you're probably more prone to use a word processing system to do so (and that's a great idea for backup since you can not only keep it on your hard drive but save it to CD, DVD or disk) you'll first want to record these steps, in your own handwriting, in your notebook. Make sure you date each step as well.

The process for earning a patent from initial application averages two years. However, while that process is pending you will still have proof that you're the inventor by showing the PTO documentation of application number and official date of filing. If applying online, you'll have this information in minutes. If you apply by mail, the documentation should arrive within eight weeks.

Once you've received your patent, you'll have protected your new product or idea from infringement. What this means is that were anyone to try to claim it as their own, or to duplicate it and use or sell that duplication, you could sue for damages.

Business Aimed to Success - To Do List

Yola Eve
Business Trainer
VIP Quality Software

You need to find an ideal way of organizing and supporting your business. You can develop your own style, embrace your inner talents, find “your and only your” way to Success.

Every starting out specialist who is about to organize their own practice wants to be successful right from the start. How to do that? Where to find a perfect way to run private Biz? Does one have to spend years in order to become successful? I would say no to years and multiple business start outs.

Many people want and I say they can run their business perfectly well from the start, while continuing to develop. From my own experience, I went and I have talked to successful people. I learned about their mistakes, I put reminders for myself to achieve more at my starting level. And I did it.

They say that road to Success is hard-work. I would agree on that.
They say that if you are not born as a businessman you have to work hard for years to get the necessary skills. Well, I am not sure about that.
They say, this is my favorite one, that:
“He is just lucky… He has done nothing to obtain what he has already… He has a good karma.” LOL

There is a new tendency that I accepted and followed. I started to develop habits of rich people from the beginning. My business is small and it was only in my own efforts to run it properly. I had no accountants or business advisors in my family. None of my friends had their own ventures. I had nobody to turn to. Nobody could actually give me an idea how to run my business and organize myself successfully. But I have done it anyway. Thanks to the already successful people, psychologist and business trainers who have helped me to bring out the best in me.

I looked at them. I studied them. I worked with them. I did it all in order to fix my internal problems and fear of failure that was passed to me in my childhood. I am sure many people can relate to me. Because, our parents didn’t always know how to teach us in a better way. They were raised by their parents who have given them whatever they could. And sometimes these things are not best to work positively in our lives. Anyway, I worked through my problems, because I really wanted to be successful in my life. I was motivated to create better life for myself, my family and my child.

Everything happened for me the moment I understood that I can be successful and wealthy only if I develop something of my own. Something that works in my life. Something that could help other people to make their lives better.
But how to do that? How to find something of your own? How to develop and implement it in your business?

The search is actually not that long.

You put a goal and ask yourself:
“What is my, and only my, talent?”
The answer will come to you in time. Sometimes it can take a few months, sometimes a few days, sometimes a few minutes for the answer to come to you.

After that, you take another important thing and put it to work. Your faith.
Do you completely believe in yourself? If no, you should work on it. I wouldn’t give any advice here because every person completely differs from another. The answer is within you. The only common suggestion is to visit, once again, a successful and experienced specialist, psychologist, business trainer. Tell them what you need exactly, they will help you out.

Do another thing for yourself. Set a specific time and date for yourself when you want this faith to appear in you and you will be ready to start doing something. Time and date will help you organize yourself better. It will make you move forward faster because you have triggered your subconscious and super conscious mechanism in order to succeed. There is a saying that “If you really want something, the whole Universe will help you to achieve what you want.”

Now, back to our Success Stairs. You have to climb them. 
Your fist successful step is to keep track of every work you do throughout a day. Believe with all your heart in everything that you do and list what you were doing in your small achievements To-Do List. That is how you will be able to keep track of what is done and what still needs to be done. That is how you will be able to gain more faith in everything you do.

Learn how to organize yourself. Set deadlines what and when needs to be done, created or finished. Set estimated time for every work that you do. That is a key to successful time management skills. 

Make a to-do list of all your services sold to your customers. Create your own client database to keep track of your clients. Communicate with them to get to know their special needs and see if you can fulfill them and implement it in your business.


Put your computer, organizer, to-do list software to work. They will help you organize yourself better, concentrate on what your have to do and in what priority everything needs to be set. Let your organizer be your silent assistant. It will alarm you when you have to do something important step by step.

List your ideas for the future. Remember, you have to write them down. Brilliant ideas come and go. They have a tendency to vanish in our daily routine mind work. That is why your every idea, even crazy one, must be written down on paper or a computer. From my experience, these ideas accumulate and then some of them can bring you “your and only your” true Success.


P.S. Good luck in your Business. Be successful in everything you do.
Don’t forget to download for free your “how to organize your business” to do list.

Best practices for eService

Preparation
On your WEB site, the internautes can ask assistance from an agent by clicking on the "chat" button, for instance. From that moment, the agent invites the client to a private demonstration by e-mailing or sending via Skype an invitation by a click or simply by showing an icon for a direct connection to a meeting room. Voice is broadcasted by telephone or even through Skype. As usual, the meeting room's customization with your logo and an adapted screen saver creates a friendly environment. When the agents are absent or outside the working hours, clients might consult, in broadcast, pre recorded assistance capsules. In fact, the list of available video clips might be displayed on the WEB page, in the main entrance to the meeting room.

Progress
When doing a private demonstration, Conferenceware's mainly used functionality is the screen sharing. It is used to make a software demonstration or sharing documents. Also, the presenter may send files and even a WEB page. If the need arises, another presenter, like a specialized technician, could join the WEBconference. Even more, a participant that may download on his/hers PC the Conferenceware trial software, could share his/hers own screen with an agent that could detect an error while manipulating it. At the end of a session, the client might be asked to share his/hers level of satisfaction by the means of a question addressed on that regard.

Follow up
The systematic recording of service WEBconferences and the possibility of editing its contents, with the objective of only saving the relevant segments, contributes to the constitution of an audio visual knowledge base. This is the first material of a training program in eLearning for your own agents along with a contextual help capsules library, on self-service. Thanks to the reports, the person responsible for the service might follow, daily, the client's level and mobilize his/hers team on a continuing improvement dynamics.

Best practices for eSales

Preparation
eSales profits from personalizing the viewer meaning the entrance or lobby of the meeting room with a PowerPoint conceptual model which illustrates the client’s activity sector. A large array is offered among the Resources under SERVICE. In fact, the same model could be use for the presentation to a prospect. Depending upon the number of participants, you could decide between a telephone conversation or an audioconference service. The invitation is transmitted by e-mail with integration with most CRM applications. In the case of coworkers, the invitation could be done via Skype, followed by an attendance indication.

Progress
Many Conferenceware functionnalities help to the success of eSale. First, a PowerPoint presentation and the screen sharing to hold a demonstration or display Word or Excel documents, for instance. Also, many presenters could intervene under the guidance of a conference master and each participant could be authorized to draw or write on a presentation. The presenter might transmit to the participants a screen saver with notes or any file or image, such as a proposal. Finally, the prospect’s opinion, but usually of his/hers circle of ‘influence’, could be requested through a mini questionnaire like one for the importance they give to your differentials in order to detect their buying criteria.

Follow up
Conferenceware provides a detailed report of the participants to a WEBconference and their answers to the different questions. In another matter, the integral recording of a WEBconference, voice and images, can be imported to your local disc and saved in the client’s file of your CRM software like an attached file to a contact. Replayed, it could be considered as a tool to review opportunities by a sales director or as a pedagogical material to train representatives, mainly to share better practices.

Best practices for eMeeting

Preparation
According to the number of participants, you will decide to broadcast the voice through a normal telephone call or through an audioconference. In this regard, we offer a free audioconference service in which the participants make a usual long distance call with access points in Europe and America as well as in a passage via Skype, with the necessary password to join in. The meeting’s WEB page is edited to display the order du jour. Other resources are offered, under SERVICE, specially to detect the opening of an invitation e-mail ensure the automatic resend to those whom have not confirmed their participation as well as to convert an Excel file into an interactive board.

Progress
Several Conferenceware functionnalities can be used to profit from the efficiency of an eMeeting. The same apply to the PowerPoint presentation and screen sharing in order to be able to display Word or Excel documents, for example. Also, several presenters may intervene under the guidance of a conference master or president of the assembly and each of the participants might be authorized to write on an interactive board or to make notes on a presentation. The presenter can transmit to the participants any screen saver or image or file, such as a report. While in meeting, a participant can virtual raise his/her hand to show the intention to share something publicly or communicate privately with the presenter, just like whispering. Finally, a question might be submitted to consideration by vote and the results may be displayed or not, as wished by the presenter.

Follow up
The meeting’s report indicates not only the participants but also the answers given to questions asked or votes taken. Moreover, by recording a meeting, in which voice and image are synchronized, the absentees could see it any time by getting the hyperlink and password required to replay it.

Best practices for eLearning

Preparation
The eLearning is held live or on-line in which what we would correctly call a virtual class or recorded, in self training. In the case of a virtual class, voice is broadcasted through an audioconference or via Skype and for a broadcast only, it would be done through WEBcast directly on the WEB. The WEB page of a training center could display a list of courses for the registered WEBconferences that in fact constitutes the resume of the programs for the customized training. In the chapter regarding the personalized coaching, the presence indicator with Skype allows to be informed of the accessibility of a colleague, to ask for the opinion and to ask, by clicking, to share with the person your screen, to consult over a document.

Progress
The array of Conferenceware functionalities can contribute to help the training and sharing. The PowerPoint presentation and the screen sharing to make a demonstration or display Word or Excel documents are the privileged tools. Several presenters may interact while on a training, like a pedagogue accompanied by a contents specialist, no matter where they might be. The presenter might transmit to the participants an image or a file, such as a reference document finally, to make it more dynamic, the presenter may propose a quiz that the participants answer and to which he/she could display the results.

Follow up
As a follow-up for a WEBconference course, the participants might be subjected to an exhaustive exam. To do so, we offer a poll service in order to easily configure a multiple choice questionnaire to evaluate the knowledge acquired. The display report allows, in itself, the supervision of the completion of the self training program for each employee. In fact, the recording of the courses, actually meaning their edition to eliminate the superfluous segments, allows the conservation and the timely broadcasting.

Best practices for eCRM

Preparation
Make the difference between the development of current clientele and market prospecting. In the first case, contacts are identified and are established in the client’s account. Therefore, is convenient to organize a presentation since Conferenceware automatically generates the information required for an invitation, the description, schedule and the mode for voice broadcasting within the format of a new message. From there, you just have to select the persons you want to invite among your contacts. Consequently, a copy of the invitation is saved in each of your contact’s file, in your CRM software. In the case of prospecting by WEBinar, the list of registered persons is imported in CSV format in order to automatically build contact information in your CRM software.

Progress
The objective of commercial presentations is usually to get information regarding the prospect’s business problematic and to identify the persons with power among the organization that have the weight to make the buying decision making. Is through the interactive questionnaire that is possible to evaluate the preoccupations in terms of problems along with the buying criteria of each of the persons influencing the process. While meeting with them, you are able to identify each person’s role within the acquisition, user, evaluator, and their level of knowledge, beginner or expert as well as their attitude: ally, neutral or hostile. In the case of acquired clients, the interactive questionnaire is precious to evaluate their loyalty particularly their disposition to make referrals.

Follow up
The report of a reunion indicates not only the participants but also the answers they have provided to the questions submitted: problems, retained buying criteria, loyalty index. From there, you should be able to prepare a differential proposal, showing by the grade of pertinence, your understanding of the client’s needs. Moreover, by recording a meeting, in which voice and image are synchronized, it can be replayed to check the fine tuning and be kept in the file as an attachment to opportunity.

Accounting

When starting a business, you have to determine the method you are going to use for accounting and paying taxes. The two choices are the cash method and the accrual method.

Cash Method

If you are looking for simplicity, the cash method is probably your best accounting choice. Generally, income and deductions can be claimed when payment is actually received or made. This is best shown with an example.

I open a small business and have to order business cards and stationary. I receive the products and pay the invoice on November 18, 2007. Under the cash method, I can deduct the cost on my 2007 tax return.

Some businesses are restricted from using the cash method. C corporations may only use the cash method if they have less than $5 million in gross revenues for a particular year. Professional Service Corporations can use the cash method without limit, while farming corporations can due so if gross revenues are less than $25 million. Tax shelters are prohibited from using the cash method.

Accrual Method

The Accrual Method of accounting is a bit more complex. Under this method, the focus in on the date the expense is incurred, not paid. Although this may seem a small difference, it can play havoc with your books and piece of mind.

Using our previous example, assume I order business cards and stationary on the December 18, 2006. I receive the products on December 30th, but don’t pay the invoice until January 20, 2007. When can the expense be claimed? It depends on when economic performance occurred.

Generally, economic performance occurs when goods or services are provided to you. In the above example, economic performance would arguably occur when the business cards and stationary were delivered with the invoice on December 30th. Thus, I would be able to deduct the expense for the 2007 tax year.

In Closing

As you can see, the cash method is the easier of the two accounting methods. To determine the best method for your business, speak with a tax professional.

"How to Make your Computer your Personal ATM"

Do you think that ATM’s are only available at banks and credit unions?  Think again.  Your computer can become your own personal ATM machine.  How can you turn your computer into a money making machine?  Jump into the world of internet marketing.  An Internet marketing business is not only profitable, but can be started quickly and affordably. 

What should you do first to help you start an Internet marketing business?  You need to create a website that reaches millions of potential customers all over the globe.  There are hundreds of software programs, companies, and offerings out there.  If you are not familiar with Internet infrastructure then you may have a difficult time trying to find the right company to host your website.  We have taken the confusion out of this situation for you by providing references for the best software tools to help get you started.

First, you will need a domain name.  Domain names are the text that users will type into the Internet to access you website.  Think carefully about your domain name so that it is relevant to your product or service.  Once you have a domain name in mind, you need to make sure that it is not taken.  You can type it into your Internet browser and see if anything comes up.  However, it is good to check this through the domain provider we recommend which is www.godaddy.com.

When you purchase a domain name at www.godaddy.com, make sure that you only purchase the domain name and none of the extra services.  Godaddy has a tendency to jack up the prices on these services when you can find them much more affordably at www.frontierpowerhosting.com.

Frontierpowerhosting.com will be your web hosting service.  This web hosting Service Company is top notch because you receive your OWN IP address.  It is critical to have your own IP address so that your emails are never blocked due to an email spammer that has the same IP address.  Frontierpowerhosting.com also has excellent customer service phone support.  In addition, Frontierpowerhosting.com provides an “Email Tracker” feature which enables you to track your emails.  Frontierpowerhosting.com also will provide you with information regarding the deliverability rate for any emails you send.  This information will help you tailor your marketing efforts.

Next you will need to setup a “smart Autoresponder”.  A smart Autoresponder is one that automatically sends emails or forms to users in order to capture their personal information.  Make sure that your Autoresponder captures the following information:  first name, last name, email address, time and date stamp.

An effective smart Autoresponder is called “Auto Responder Plus” which you can find at www.arp3.com.  Auto Responder Plus is software that you can download on your web hosting account.

Once you have these tools in place, you are ready to create your website.  Change your personal computer into a cash cow today!